I spent a while downloading and reading documents related to the new rules.

The bottom line is that if you fly a model over 250g you will have to study, take an exam, and pass, before you are legally entitled to fly model aircraft.

Each aircraft has to be registered. A registration number has to be applied to the aircraft.

The knowledge required is just about as much as that required to fly a full sized aircraft. The creators of the rules have clearly demonstrated several things.

1) They have little knowledge of the current state of model aircraft.2) The have little or no understanding of how and where people fly model aircraft.3) The rules are modelled after those of full size aviation.

To help understand the impact I have attached several documents taken from the Transport Canada website this morning. It seems the documents are too large to upload to the site.

Canadian Aviation Regulations. Section 920 or so applies to Model Aviation. Information throughout the rest is/may be required. Download the PDF. A 6 megabyte file.https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/reg ... index.html

We may have to form study groups or have classroom sessions to prepare for the online exam. It is a very large amount of material to cover.Just sourcing and organizing the material required is a big task. Getting it in to a format for use as a teaching tool is not trivial.

I feel quite sure that Transport Canada has deliberately done this to dissuade persons from even applying to write the exam.

The exam consists of 35 question that has a 1-1/2 hours time limit.

THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE AN EXEMPTION FOR MAAC MEMBERS.

It would be helpful if you read these documents and then forward your comments to the Minister, the local MAAC representative, and the MAAC contact for legislative and regulatory matters.

well we may be good until 31 may 2019 only until we get another exemption from MG and his TC people.

Transitional Provision

24 The definitions area of natural hazard or disaster, MAAC, Regulations and restricted airspace in subsection 1(1), subsections 1(2) and (3) and sections 2 to 8 of Interim Order No. 9 Respecting the Use of Model Aircraft and the schedule to that Interim Order continue to apply until May 31, 2019.

To all MAAC Members,Re: Transport Canada Gazette II news release of January 10, 2019We would like to advise you that the anticipated new regulations for Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS ) have now been published. However, it should be clearly understood that nothing has changed for MAAC members and even though the regulations have now been published, they do not take effect until 1st June 2019. Until that date the Interim Order Respecting the use of Model Aircraft remains in effect, and as this order does not apply to MAAC operations, MAAC members can continue to operate as we always have.Once the new regulations do come into effect, they will apply to all aircraft without a pilot onboard, whether for recreational or non-recreational purposes. However, be assured that MAAC continues to working with Transport Canada to ensure your current privileges are protected. As we advised you in the last email update, MAAC is working with Transport Canada on an exemption from the new regulations. With this exemption, once the new regulations do come into effect, MAAC members will enjoy the same freedoms they always have. It is expected that the MAAC exemption will be approved well before the new regulations come into effect on 1st June 2019. In the meantime please see the attached letter from Transport Canada, Letter – AARV – MAAC 2019 – 01-09 showing their commitment to these ongoing efforts and the preservation of our privileges.MAAC leadership continues to work for its members and to ensure that we can all enjoy our passion of operating model aircraft. We will provide additional updates, once we have secured the exemption. Until then, please let me repeat that nothing has changed for MAAC members and you can continue to operate as you always have.On behalf of the MAAC transport Canada Advisory GroupPeter SchafferPresident - MAAC

Notwithstanding the recent remarks by the President of MAAC, he appears to be avoiding the issue. The new rules are not in place, yet. They absolutely do come into force on the 1st of June. So saying everything is alright until then is correct, but it is avoiding the need for preparation.

Transport Canada regulations do come into force in June. The way the regulations are written, it implies that, even with MAAC membership several things may apply.

1) Likley the exam will have to be written and passed. This is absolutely applicable if you fly at your cottage, public park or a non MAAC flying field. This will not likely be exempted even with MAAC membership.

2) The breadth of the material covered is far more than is relevant to Model Aviation. Icing on pitot tubes, cloud types and implications for flying, temperature and pressure effects on flight performance, and maintenance, are just some of the items that are outlined as knowledge requirements. Many do not apply to Model Aviation, but the persons who prepared the regulations, either do not understand that, do not care, or did it in a deliberate manner so as to impede persons legally flying model aircraft.

3) Your aircraft will have to be registered. MAAC may get agreement for reduced fees for multiple aircraft, but they in all likelyhood will have to be registered. MAAC may even have to put in place requirements that aircraft at a MAAC event display the TC license number.

It is imperative that some sort of MAAC sponsored and organized ground schools be started soon. The breadth of material is massive. It needs to be gathered together and put in some form of textbook format.

Transport Canada is recommending on their web site that persons take formal training before writing the exam.

On this page they even have a link to find training schools. Prices range from $300 to $3000 at the few I looked at.

I am trying to get people to take this action by Transport Canada seriously. Regulators move slowly. These regulations are massively out of proportion to the need, for what and how model aviation takes place. From that I conclude that they are being adament that they want these rules applied. I feel that they will be loathe to allow carve outs that would eliminate testing and registration of aircraft.

So if you have input to MAAC, tell them, it is imperative that they get working on course materials and quickly. It will soon be February. That only leaves 4 months before we may be given the bad news of what limited exemption we may be given.

If you think that is a long ways off, remember it will take better than a month to prepare and distribute course material.

I am thinking of taking the full size license ground school course as it covers almost all the required material.

If anyone has taken and passed the exam, they should speak up and indicate what materials were covered on the exam.

I received a private response to some recent comments. I sent the following reply. I feel that this issue is important and MAAC members should be contributing to the discussion with ideas and suggestions

Good Morning Cato.

Thank you for your comments. I am not upset about the Transport Canada rules. They are a reflection of similar rules around the world.

Unfotunately we have seen a continuous roll out of additional regulations around the world. This and future governments are no exception. I do not trust the competence or sensibilities of Transport Canada executives or rule makers, based on their past actions.

It would be wise and prudent of MAAC to develop formal, documented training materials for members. It should incorporate the content expectations of Transport Canada, if for no other reason than to show TC that MAAC is taking the rules seriously. Further it would show TC that MAAC wants their flying members to be fully aware of the rules and that MAAC flyers are prepared and capable of taking and passing the online exam. It is easier to carve out an exemption if the flying members are all trained and knowledgeable about the rules. Using the TC expectations is a sure way to ensure that the course material is valid and relevant. TC can have no argument with MAAC if the training materials and courses provided by MAAC are closely aligned with the TC rules.

I will continue to caution about relying on a future unspecified carve out or exemption from TC. MAAC may have their finger on the pulse and close contact with TC, but in the past, the public voice of TC has shown complete disregard for what is reality when it comes to Model Aviation.

It is also valid to point out that most exemptions apply when at a MAAC sanctioned flying facility. In most rural parts of the country, people do much of their flying over lakes, in the back pasture, or on public lands. They are not MAAC designated flying fields. As the rules stand and as I suspect any carve out would not cover, flying at those places would not be covered. That is why it is important to have MAAC develop and promote training materials. It is important to have members prepared to be certified to the TC standard.

Another real possibility would be that MAAC prepared materials would be "approved" by TC and sold by MAAC to the general public as training materials. If protection of rights to fly are important to MAAC then it is absolutely necessary that MAAC lead the training. This means preparing training materials and having MAAC members fully trained on the regulations. By being a recognized training provider MAAC could also swell their membership. That gives an even more powerful voice to MAAC when dealing with TC.

I trust that you will bring this proposal to the Board and that they will act on it swiftly.

Good morning everyone.well, I decided to take the plunge and try if I could get my Basic Pilot Certification.After reading the new regulation and knowledge requirement, I search the web for stuff I did not know. that was quite a lot I must say LOL.so, while at work, between email and phone calls and meeting, I took a couple of hours during the last two weeks and look some of the stuff that we don't normally worry our self with. Cloud formation, wing contamination, icing effect on the wing, flying in thunderstorm, wind turbulence cause by high mountains like our beautiful Rockies and whatnot.I sure as hell did not procure the VNC for VFR and any other publication they recommended to be purchase. Unlike Jeremy, I have no flying experience other than Micro Soft flight simulator flying time. LOLSo, yesterday afternoon, during my break of course, I took the basic pilot test. it took me 20 minutes from login to logout time.

WELL, I PASSED , 80% , go figure.

if I can do it, so can you. it is only $10 and with that I don't have to take that suggested ground training that was prices in the vicinity of $400 ( depending where you would get the training).

I would say, why wait for the last minute for MAAC to work a deal with TC & MC. you have nothing to loose but $10.